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Bruno Mars, the superstar from Honolulu, purchased a $6.5 million home in the Fryman Canyon region of Studio City, Calif. He acquired the property prior to Christmas; the mansion is in a gated community and comes with a lot of extras, according to Variety.
The four-bedroom acquisition coincided with Mars and Mark Ronson‘s "Uptown Funk" topping the music and video charts at year’s end. It still was No. 1 last week, according to Billboard — Mars’ sixth No. 1 hit, Ronson’s first.
Mars’ estate features a motor court with a three-car garage for six vehicles. An oversize entryway leads to the formal living and dining rooms with European motifs; a family room boasts a built-in bar. There’s a wine room, a large kitchen with adjoining breakfast room, a swimming pool with sauna, entertainment rooms and an outdoor kitchen and cabanas for cooking and partying.
TMZ slammed the home because of its strange decor and garish furnishings, but now Mars counts George Clooney among his neighbors. …
YEAR OF THE TURTLE: Forget the lunar calendar for a moment. For Johnson Enos and his "Honu by the Sea" cast, 2015 will be the Year of the Honu (Turtle). The local composer-playwright’s original musical, which staged prime performances at The Royal Hawaiian hotel’s Monarch Room in the past, is embarking on yet another series of tours. "Honu" is presenting a variation of the show themed "Guardians of the Sea" Saturday and Jan. 18 and 19 at the Seattle Aquarium, followed by a Vancouver Aquarium stint Jan. 24 and 25 in British Columbia.
Then on March 14 and 15, the show visits the Aquarium of the Pacific for its Pacific International Children’s Day observance in Long Beach, Calif. In June there will be a Honu Hana Hou trek to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., coinciding with World Oceans Day celebrations.
Other visits are pending as "Honu" racks up lots of mileage while building its fan base hither and yon. If you’ve seen it, you know that "Honu by the Sea" is a Disney-esque fantasy musical about a young boy and the undersea species he meets, offering valuable life lessons about friendship, hope and the urgency to save the environment. Entertaining and educational, it has pulse and momentum that continue to grow. …
Tours feature casts as few as seven or as many as 14. But there’s still a full-fledged theatrical version yet to be mounted, with 24 on stage, according to Enos. Stay tuned. …
NEW HAT: Actor Daniel Dae Kim — Chin Ho Kellyon "Hawaii Five-0" —is directing his first episode, currently being filmed. Guest actors include Michael Imperioli (from "The Sopranos"), Jon Lovitz and Cloris Leachman. …
Kim, who played Jin on ABC’s "Lost" earlier, also will be on the big screen as Jack Kang, a rep from the Candor faction, in the "Divergent" franchise’s second installment, "Insurgent," which opens March 20. Kim joins Octavia Spencer and Naomi Watts in the cast, headlined by Shailene Woodley as Beatrice "Tris" Prior. Hawaii’s Maggie Q also is in "Insurgent," as Tori Wu. …
POI-POURRI: That coosome twosome, Sofia Vergara ("Modern Family") and Joe Manganiello ("True Blood," "Magic Mike"), were spotted in the islands prior to Christmas. Nope, she wasn’t wearing a sparkler then, but the couple got engaged Christmas Day. He displayed an arm brace due to a right-arm injury while filming the male stripper sequel "Magic Mike XXL." …
Sarah Palin told her PETA critics they can kiss her okole, the Hawaiian word commonly used for butt, on NBC’s "Today" show last week.Her comment came after the former Alaska governor posted a Facebook photo of son Trig, 6, stepping on the family pooch’s back as if it were a stool to reach the kitchen sink. Even "Today" host Savannah Guthrie was amazed Palin used "okole" on national TV. …
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